Letter to Polish Ambassador Daniel Costello

I am writing to you regarding an issue that has reverberated across Canada and about which I have received many complaints. The refusal of the Canadian Embassy in Poland to fly the rainbow flag during the Euro Pride Festivities in Warsaw is an affront to Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms, rule of law and stated values.

Canada, under the Liberal governments of Jean Chretien and Paul Martin, implemented changes in the Human Rights Act and over 86 pieces of federal legislation that advanced full equality, de jure and de facto, to Gays and Lesbians.

We are proud to be one of the first countries in the world to legalise same-sex marriage. As a Minister for six years, I took this issue to all international and multilateral fora for inclusion in official action plans.

I urge you to respect Canada’s leadership in the arena of human rights and minority rights and to fly the flag, proudly, in support of a minority group whose rights have been denied and who still face violence and death in many parts of the world.

If Canada cannot lead by example, as has been our tradition, we have lost our way as a global citizen and a nation respected for fairness and principle.

AFTERTHOUGHT: Even though she forgot what country Costello worked for, Fry being consistent with her party’s foreign affairs critic Bob Rae who in May said,

“I think it has to become a stronger priority for Canadian foreign policy generally and I think we have to understand that as Canadians, that having taken such an advanced position ourselves with respect to recognizing gay relationships in the Americas, that it would be – it would be a wonderful thing if we could champion this as a priority for our foreign policy.” — Bob Rae